Many anglers and recreational boaters are pulling their boats out of the water and getting them ready to store for the winter after a summer on the water. This is the time to clean it up, clean the crud from the outside of the hull, check for signs of wear at critical mechanical and electrical junctures, and get rid of the fishy or mildew smell that can build up in the bilge.
For hulls and decks, we boaters have used everything from the cleaner Bon Ami to automobile cleaners, and it can be really difficult to get the crud off of your hull and deck, especially without using products so harsh that they can damage the surface being cleaned. C.U. multi-purpose marine cleaner from Raritan Engineering is ideal for cleaning hulls and decks. It removes dirt, grime, mildew, exhaust stains, and bird droppings, and the heavy-duty concentrate will not harm colorfast surfaces.
Quality Cleaning Products
For bilge and engine cleaning, try their B.C. Bilge cleaner. It is safe on any surface, emulsifies grease, oil, and sludge, and removes slime, dirt, bacteria, fungi, and molds.
All of the products I have mentioned sell for around $10 so there is really no need to struggle with the old and possibly toxic methods of trying to clean up your boat. If you cannot find these in your local boat shop turn to the catalog of today by logging on to the Internet and go to http://www.raritaneng.com/products/cleaning_maintenance/index.html
With regular use, a boat’s gel coat can dry out and oxidize, reducing the clarity of color and shine of the hull, deck, and other fiberglass surfaces. Yacht Brite’s Buff Magic (www.yachtbrite.com) is an easy-to-use fiberglass reconditioner and deoxidizer that removes all oxidation, dirt, and dead gel coat, restoring the boat’s original high-gloss finish.
Traditional rubbing compounds that many of us have used in the past on oxidized automobile paint contain harsh abrasives, which can scratch and further dull a boat’s fiberglass. I have found this one to be user friendly whether buffing with a machine or by hand, and it will not swirl or burn like other gel coat compounds.
Used properly, you get a high gloss and it’s easier to clean up because it does not “sling” like other products. It also is a time saver because it requires less compound, and fewer passes of the buffer to produce a brilliant shine. You can use it by hand, but one can also wax a truck by hand, and being one to usually seek out the line of least resistance, I personally would recommend a buffer.
Buffing Magic
Buff Magic can be safely used on other surfaces and provides a shine to most common marine metal finishes. Scratches on Plexiglas and Eisenglass can also be quickly removed, leaving a clear and clean surface.
After a treatment of Buff Magic cleaner, Yacht Brite has a finishing product that works well to keep the cleaned surface protected and looking good and they call it Pro Polish.
One 22-ounce container of Buff Magic will clean an entire 40-foot boat, and the suggested retail price is $23.95 — so most boaters will have more than they need in one container. Pro Polish comes in a 16-ounce bottle and retails for $17.95. If not available at your local boat shop, you can find these on line at Yacht Brite Products, www.yachtbrite.com.
So before you go out and try to clean your boat up, put your mind to work first. Check out the new products on the market devoted to saving you time, energy, and simultaneously lessening any unnecessary weight from you wallet. I bet you can’t find a less physically painful way to get the job accomplished.
Make sure you keep your boat in the best shape possible. Shop at Sportsman’s Guide for a selection of boat maintenance supplies.